"A Miracle Bed"

"Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord." 2 Kings 20:5

 

Many of you know that I have been in the bed the past week with the flu.  I thank you for your prayers.  I am so thankful to be better and up and about today.  I wanted to share with you some things that I "learned" while on my "bed of affliction".  First, I want to say that the Lord doesn't put sickness on us.  Sickness is a result of living in a fallen, sin-cursed world.  He is our Healer in sickness.  But, when sickness or affliction of any sort come our way, the Lord can still take that thing and work good in our lives through it.  He did mine.  There were things that He showed me, revelations that I received, direction on some issues, wisdom, insight and instruction that He gave me while I was "flat of my back". If He wills I will share them with you in the future.

 

When we are going through hard times, afflictions, suffering, tribulations, etc., sometimes it feels like the world has ended.  We feel like it won't ever get any better.  We feel like the Lord has forgotten us.  King Hezekiah in the Old Testament felt like this.  But we see that the Lord had not forgotten him.  The Lord was well aware of his situation.  The Lord was still speaking to him.  The Lord sent his healing.  The Lord gave him a great revelation and mighty miracle.  (In case you have forgotten, this is the king whom the Lord turned time back for as a sign that He would heal him.)

 

A bed of affliction turned into a place of miracles for Hezekiah.  It was a place for a miracle in the life of Jarius' daughter.  It was a place of a miracle in Peter's mother in law's life.  It was a place of a miracle in the life of the man who was left at the Gate Beautiful, and the man at the pool, and the man who was lowered by friends through the roof to get to Jesus.

 

The point is:  God has not forgotten where we are when we are going through affliction, pain or suffering.  He is still aware of us.  He can still minister to us no matter the circumstance.  And He can still give a miracle anywhere, any time and in any way He chooses. 

 

Have a great day.  A miracle can happen even on a bed. 

 

"Who He Is"

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."  Philippians 3:8,10

 

We have heard it said, and preached, that the reason why we don't see a demonstration of the power of God in our lives is because we don't know who we are in Christ.  I have taught this myself.  And while it is true, I believe the truer reason is not that we don't know who we are in Him, but that we don't know who He is. 

 

Yesterday, we talked about giving people a revelation of who Jesus is.  I think we need a personal revelation of who Jesus is, and who He is in us.  I think we are more like the disciples who had been with Jesus for a long time yet still had to ask-- Who is He?

 

Our goal should not be-- do great things through me, Lord.  Our goal should be-- I want to know you, Lord.  As we seek to know Him, we are applying the principle of "seek ye first the kingdom of God".  As we do, then "all these things will be added unto us".  As we seek to know Him, then everything else will fall into place.  We will be used in greater ways.  We will fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives.  Miracles and signs will follow our lives.  We will reach the lost in greater numbers.  A former pastor of mine used to say, "Don't get the cart before the horse".  I think this is what we are doing.  We are trying to do the work of the Lord without knowing the Lord of the work.  We are trying to figure out who we are in Him when we need to be figuring out who He is in us.

 

Have a great day.  It isn't all about who we are in Christ, it is also about who He is.  When we learn who He is, then we will discover who we are in Him.   

"The Trend"

"But we preach Christ crucified..."  1 Corinthians 1:23a

 

I have seen a trend taking place in the church over the last several years.  It seems as if the church is trying to keep up with the world.  With each new trend that the world develops the church seems to adopt it and bring it into their programs.  Oh, they may clean it up a bit, tweak it a little, throw in something that appears spiritual or repackage it, but it is the same thing.  The excuse I have heard for doing this is-- its a new day, old methods don't work, people want something new and relevant to the times, they don't want the old antiquated teachings of the church.  We have to make it new, improved and exciting and on their level in order to reach them.  We have to get in touch with where they are.

 

People have not changed since the beginning of time.  Yes, our fashions change, our mindsets change, technology changes the way we conduct our affairs, our forms of entertainment change, etc. but mankind has not changed.  We are still, in 2018, born sinners just like we have been for thousands of years.  We are still in need of a Savior.  We still have the need to be loved.  We still have problems that need to be solved.  We still bleed red when we are cut like we always have.  We still grieve at a loss, feel pain when we are hurt, have an evil heart, face fear and confusion.  We are still on a quest to find truth.  We have not changed inside, only the outside has changed.

 

When we bring the world trends into the church in order to win the world, all we are doing is reaching their flesh.  We are appealing to their flesh, but not reaching their hearts, souls and spirits.  We are in reality not reaching them at the point of their true need.  If we really want to reach them, we must not use "new and improved" methods taken from the world that cater to the flesh.  We must do the same thing that Jesus did.  What did He do?  He gave the people a revelation of Who the Heavenly Father is.  He gave them a revelation of the Kingdom.  He gave them a revelation of the power of God, the love of God, the grace and mercy of God.  He showed them the Father and that revelation met the need of their hearts. 

 

Giving people a revelation of Jesus, His power, His love and His saving grace is what people need.  They don't need the fancy lights, the hip-hop music, the meticulously orchestrated events, the fog machines, the coffee bars or tweaked trends of the world.  They need a revelation of Jesus.  That was all the early church had and they turned their world upside right.  We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the same.

 

Have a great day.  People are still the same as they have always been-- sinners in need of a Savior.

"Waiting For The Word"

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry."  Psalm 40:1

 

There are times in our lives when we all "need a word" from the Lord.  Many are desiring a word for the new year-- what will the Lord do this year, what is His plan.  We have a promise from Him that when we call on Him He will answer us.  Are you one of those who need a word for a situation you are in, a problem you are facing, wisdom to know what to do, direction for the future, or an answer to a perplexing question?  He has a word for you.  But you may have to wait for that word.

 

There are times when He will answer us instantly.  It is because the situation dictates an immediate response.  But more often than not, His answer will not always come so quickly.  Mostly, His answer comes as we seek Him, wait on Him and take time to be still and listen.  We are so geared to having everything instantly.  Our society, our world, every aspect of the way we conduct business is done in a "faster than the speed of light" mold.  But God is not in the hurry we are in.  He understands timing better than you and I do.  He knows when the exact moment to bring your answer is.  He is never late and never early.  He is right on time-- even if we don't think He is.

 

So, the word you are desiring is there.  He has it.  But you may have to take a few more minutes than you want to to find out what it is.  Take the time to sit still.  Take the time to listen.  Take the time to wait.  Don't get impatient and move before you have heard from Him.  That is what usually gets us in trouble.  It did King Saul. (1 Samuel 15).  Besides, wouldn't you rather wait and get the right answer, than not wait and get it wrong?  Think about it.     

 

Have a great day.  There are times when we have to wait for the word that we need, so wait.   

  

"A Blank Book"

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."  Matthew 6:10

 

We have just entered into a new year.  With each new year, we feel like it is a new beginning, a fresh start.  That is why it is called "new".  I have heard it said that our lives are like a book on whose pages is the story that we are writing about ourselves.  I have also heard it said that when a new year arrives we have been given a new book full of blank pages on which to write our lives for the coming year.  We are then  challenged concerning what we will write in it this year. 

 

I want to take that challenge one step further.  Instead of asking what will you write in it, let me ask you this-- what will you allow the Lord to write in it?  I wrote my own life story for many, many years.  It turned out to be a "tragedy".  As I read back over the "pages" from my past, it was really sad at times, tragic at other times, and some parts read more like a "horror" story. 

 

If you want your life story to turn out well; if you want the blank pages that are ahead of you to be filled with success, joy, abundant life, wisdom, prosperity, etc., then you need to let the Lord Author it for you.  How?  But surrendering your life to Him.  You do it by letting Him choose what is to be written there.  You do it by surrendering your will over to His will.  Doing our own "thing", following our own desires, living out our own will, will write a sad, sad story.  When we look back through those pages, we will see regret, condemnation, frustration, remorse, guilt, and so on.  But when we surrender to His will, what is written on the pages of our lives will read so much differently. 

 

Have a great day.  Who are you going to let write the story of your life this year?  Will it be written by your own will or by doing the Lord's will?